The IHBC has submitted its response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) consultation on reforms to the statutory consultee system, highlighting their ‘serious threat to heritage conservation’.
Roy Lewis, Chair of the IHBC’s Policy Committee and lead on IHBC’s Consultation Panel responses, said: ‘The proposed changes to statutory consultation are a serious threat to heritage conservation. Dispensing with the views of knowledgeable experts can only be unhelpful in securing well-informed decisions on development proposals that impact on heritage assets.’
‘Removing the ability of The Gardens Trust, The Theatres Trust, and Historic England to influence decisions in a relatively small number of cases affecting places of acknowledged significance, without any evidence that their involvement serves no purpose, seems to me to be just another step in the arbitrary dismantling of the planning system.’
The IHBC writes:
…. Statutory consultees are key to shaping planning decisions by providing expert advice and guidance. Their insights help drive sustainable development whilst protecting our cultural heritage, and promoting community pride and well-being.
Removing heritage bodies from the list of statutory consultees will do nothing to ‘promote growth and unblock building’ but it is likely to accelerate the loss of or harm to irreplaceable heritage assets….
See the IHBC’s Consultation Response in full
IHBC’s Consultations Panel
The IHBC constantly monitors Government Departments and other national and regional organisations for relevant proposed changes to legislation, policy and guidance. The Consultations Panel formulates responses to these documents on behalf of the IHBC.
NOTE: The IHBC may not necessarily comment on all these consultations, but we are glad to hear opinions on them from both members and non-members.
